Courgette with buttermilk + poppy seed dressing

Corbwmpen gyda llaeth enwyn a dresin hadau pabi In the summer our garden overf l ows with courgettes, and for weeks we have to come up with ingenious ways of using them. This is my (Alison’s) favourite – the dressing is gentle but a little tangy, and a spoonful of this goes well with grilled sardines or roast ham. Make this dish your own by adding soft herbs such as tarragon, or stirring in crushed garlic and a smidge of honey for sweetness. It’s best eaten on the day you make it.

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Step 1

Carefully slice the courgettes into ribbons on a mandolin or with a ‘y’-shaped vegetable peeler, being careful of your hands. Scatter the salt onto the strips, then leave them to rest in a colander placed in the sink or standing on a plate to draw some of the water out for 1 hour.

Step 2

Rinse the salt off the courgettes (taste some to check you have rinsed them enough), then pat completely dry with kitchen paper. You can store them like this in the fridge in a covered dish overnight, if needed.

Step 3

To make the dressing, toast the poppy seeds in a hot, dry frying pan until fragrant, then transfer to a clean jam jar with the remaining ingredients.

Step 4

Cover the jar with the lid and shake well to combine.

Step 5

Pile the courgettes onto a platter and drizzle with the shaken dressing.

Step 6

Serve immediately.